Professor Lorraine O'Driscoll

Professor Lorraine O'Driscoll

Professor (Pharmacy)

24 WESTLAND ROW

Lorraine O'Driscoll (BSc(Hons, Pharm), MSc(Res, Clin Pharm), MA(Ed), PhD(Biotech), FTCD) Lorraine holds a BSc(Hons), pharmacology; MSc(Res), clinical pharmacology; MA, education; PhD, biotechnology. In 2012, she was elected to Fellowship in TCD. Following her PhD, Lorraine undertook biotechnology/biomedical research for US and EU industry (including Berlex; Archport Ltd-Axonobel; MediSyn Ltd; MedaNova Ltd.) before returning to academic research & teaching. At post-doctoral level, she gained experience at the Dana-Farber Harvard Cancer Institute and University of Miami. Prior to joining TCD in 2008, Lorraine most recently held the position of Senior Research Programme Leader and Lecturer in School of Biotechnology, DCU. Her research group focuses on diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers; discovering new therapeutic targets; cancer cells communication via exosomes, microvesicles and CTCs; elucidating and circumventing resistance to targets agents and classical chemotherapy; associations between obesity, metabolic syndrome and cancer. She has been a P.I. on 5 cancer clinical trials with ICORG. She is TCD's Principal Investigator on SFI-supported Molecular Therapeutics for Cancer Ireland; Strand Leader of Irish Cancer Society-supported Breast-PREDICT; and P.I. and Chair, H2020-supported European Network Cooperation in Science and Technology focussed on Exosomes & Microvesicles in Health & Disease which brings together researchers from 27 European countries, 3 US universities, Australia and 7 industry partners. In 2017, she was awarded approx. 4,000,000 as Director of a H2020 ITN aimed at training 15 PhD students in TRAIN-EV i.e. training in extracellular vesicles: for benefit in health and disease. She has developed tailored courses for academia (e.g. FEBS), semi-state bodies (e.g. IDA) and industry. Her graduates and mentees are now employed at NIH; Pfizer; Amgen; Leo; Roche; AstraZeneca; ICON plc; 2 are entrepreneurs/company CEOs; 2 are Managers of Research Centres; others hold lecturing and research posts in academia.

A new range of anti-cancer drugs have become available that are used to treatment some breast cancer patients. The best known one is Herceptin (trastuzumab), but there are other new drugs in this family. These drugs were designed to interact with HER2, a molecule found at greater amounts on cancer cells compared to normal cells for ~25% of breast cancer patients. These drugs are more cancer-specific than older chemotherapy and can offer advantages of greatly helping many patients without causing serious side-effects. Unfortunately, some patients who seem suitable candidates based on the HER2 test, don't benefit from these treatments. Some others respond at first, but then become unresponsive (resistant) to the treatment. Added to the problem of some patients not benefiting, these drugs are extraordinarily expensive costs to healthcare. We urgently need ways of predicting which patients with "HER2 tumours" are likely to benefit. We also need to be able to overcome the resistance problem. Studying cells from breast tumours, we recently found two molecules, NmU and miR-X, at substantially different amounts both inside and outside cells that are resistant to these drugs compared to those that are sensitive. By "tweaking" their amounts in the cells, we can make cells more resistant or more sensitive to these drug; suggesting that this approach might help overcome the serious resistance problem in tumours. So, (i) we explained this study to many patients enrolling in clinical trials using these drugs. They donated blood specimens that we want to test to see if analyse for NmU and miR-X can predict those who will/won't respond; (ii) we are at a stage where we now need to progress our work of "tweaking" NmU and miR-X to see if we can help overcome this resistance in a living organism.

Funding Agency

Health Research Board

Programme

Health Research Award

Project Type

P.I.

Person Months

36

Project Title

European Network on Microvesicles & Exosomes in Health and Disease

From

Jan 2013

To

Dec 2018

Summary

Microvesicles and Exosomes (ME) have attracted much recent interest because of their potential functions, use as disease biomarkers and possible therapeutic exploitation. Due to their enormous relevance, through nationally-funded projects throughout Europe, this relatively new field of research is quickly expanding. There are, however, many associated issues that need to be addressed to ensure optimal research performance and collation and cross-interpretation of data. These issues range from the need to derive a consensus on fundamental guidelines/nomenclature and optimal techniques for vesicle isolation and analysis, to more advanced issues such as collating emerging data and expertise towards better understanding, and thus exploiting, the physiological and pathological roles of ME. There is also urgency to identify gaps in ME knowledge and how best collaborative research can address these questions. This Consrtium creates a network of European experts, fostering a multidisciplinary approach to enhance both basic understanding and translational potential of ME.

Funding Agency

EU H2020

Programme

Cooperation in Science & Technology

Project Type

Lead P.I. / Chair

Project Title

Breast-PREDICT

From

Nov. 2013

To

Oct. 2018

Summary

Breast-PREDICT is a country-wide collaboration between experts in the area of breast cancer research, funded by the Irish Cancer Society. This 'virtual Centre' was launched in October 2013 and will run for a period of five years. Breast-PREDICT brings together researchers from six academic institutions across Ireland: UCD, TCD, RCSI, DCU, NUIG and UCC, and a nationwide clinical trials group, ICORG. We collect information and tumour samples from nearly every breast cancer patient in the country, with their consent. Using these valuable resources, we will improve our understanding of how this disease can spread and become resistant to treatment, and find ways to combat this with new and better therapies. This is a multi-disciplinary Centre, which unites breast cancer experts with different skills, to work towards a common goal.

Funding Agency

Irish Cancer Society

Programme

Research Centre

Project Type

Translational

Person Months

84

Project Title

Biomarkers & Therapeutics Targets: MeS, Diabetes and Cancer

From

March 2013

To

Feb. 2016

Summary

In vitro, in vivo and clinical trials studies including researchers from ireland, Denmark, The Netherlands, and Germany to identify and validate biomarkers & new therapeutics targets of potential relevant to metabolic syndrome, diabetes and cancer